semiconductingsubstance
nounUK /ˌsɛmikənˈdʌktɪŋ ˈsʌbstəns/
US /ˌsɛmikənˈdʌktɪŋ ˈsʌbstəns/
A material that lets electricity flow through it only sometimes, not all the time.
Silicon is a semiconducting substance used to make computer chips.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A solid whose ability to carry electricity falls between that of a conductor and an insulator.
Engineers study each semiconducting substance before using it in a device.
3. A material whose conductivity can be changed by adding impurities or applying heat.
Doping turns a plain semiconducting substance into a useful electronic component.
4. A base material for diodes, solar cells, and microchips.
The factory processes a semiconducting substance into thin wafers.